2Chronicles 36

This is it, the end not only of the books of Chronicles, but of the independence of the Hebrews.

God tried to warn them. Over and over and over again he tried to warn them. But they wouldn't listen, and in the end it happened just like he said it would.

Ezra starts next Monday.

2Chronicles 35

Josiah was a good king, but only when he listened to God.

As long as he paid attention to God, Josiah and his kingdom were blessed. When he ignored him, though, or worse, worked against him, as Josiah did when he went to war with Pharaoh Neco, he paid the price.

2Chronicles 34

Hezekiah wasn't doing everything the law commanded, but only because he didn't know what the law commanded. When a copy was found and he realized how short he and his nation had fallen, he repented for himself and them.

One reason he had it read to the people was so they would know too.

2Chronicles 33

Very often we make our own problems. 

A lot of the good deeds Manassseh did after his repentance were just fixing what he'd messed up before. At least he got to fix them. As I've said before, I believe the reason God let someone so bad go so long is that that's how long it took Manasseh to turn around.

2Chronicles 32

Were the actions Hezekiah took when he heard about Sennacherib inspired by God? I don't think so -- not directly, anyway -- and I doubt he'd claim divine inspiration, either. He was just a very smart, very prudent man.

But who made him smart and prudent? 

2Chronicles 31

Throughout the history of God's people, when the ruler was good, the people prospered.

That was the case in this chapter. God's people were so prosperous that their tithes -- the first 10% of their income -- that were supposed to feed the priests were so large that they ended up piled in front of the temple.

2Chronicles 30

Though he missed the date called for in the law, Hezekiah held the Passover as soon as he was able.

He did it right, too. Rather than just donating a lot of animals, he sent messages inviting the people of Israel to the feast. Including a rival kingdom was more than would be expected of Hezekiah, but he just thought all the Hebrews should have the same opportunity to worship.

2Chronicles 29

Notice when Hezekiah opened the temple: the first month of his first year. God was a priority for him. He made sure if was a priority for others as well. We'll see that throughout his life.

It's what made him a good king,

2Chronicles 27

It's good to follow in your father's footsteps, provided they were good footsteps.

In this chapter we're told that Jotham was a good king who did all his father Uzziah had done except enter the temple. In other words, the thing that caused such a terrible punishment.

2Chronicles 28

For those of you keeping track at home, Ahaz was beaten by Edom, Israel, Syria, and Assyria. When it came to the last one, he  even paid for the privilege.

It just didn't pay to be an evil king. 

2Chronicles 26

It seems like breaking faith with God was worse than not believing in the first place.

This chapter features Uzziah, who was of the best kings Judah had. Yet he was punished severely for what we would consider a minor offense, when others seem to have gotten off scot-free for much worse. The problem is that once he got a little strength, he started depending on himself instead of God, and thought his own way was best.

2Chronicles 25

Why worship gods you know can't help you?

I don't know but that's what Amaziah did. After he defeated the Edomites, he took their idols -- who hadn't helped them against him -- and set them up in his palace to worship them. The God of Israel, of course, did not approve.

2Chronicles 24

Joash started so well to have ended the way he did. He was the one who brought back the temple tax, which was used to restore the temple and make it better.

Of course, Solomon could've told him you have to finish just as well.

2Chronicles 23

It's interesting that while Josiah is known as a reformer, the reforms started before he even before he took the throne. One of the most important was keeping anyone unclean out of the temple.

Even the queen couldn't violate that, which may have helped keep Josiah alive.

2Chronicles 22

Huh. Turns out it was Jehoram who was the king and was married to Ahab's daughter. Azariah was one of the brothers he had killed. Sorry about that.

This chapter deals with his son and heir, Ahaziah, and his wife, Athaliah, presumably Ahab's daughter. Azariah was bad, but his mother was worse. Upon taking her son's throne,  she tried to have her grandsons killed.

That's one bad granny.

2Chronicles 21

Azariah acted like a member of Ahab's family because he was.

The Bible is clear that Azariah disobeyed God just like the kings of Israel. Ahab was arguably Israel's worst king, and he was even worse when hag-ridden by his wife Jezebel. Even if he had started out good, Azariah didn't have a chance once he was married to their daughter.

2Chronicles 20

Though Jehoshaphat was a good king, he still had to face death.

Even if he had been perfect, that would have been no guarantee. The only perfect person who ever lived was horribly murdered for being perfect, and Jehoshaphat wasn't perfect.

2Chronicles 19

When confronted by the prophet, Jehoshaphat knew he had done wrong. Rather than feeling sorry for himself, he set out to make reforms throughout his kingdom.

There's nothing wrong with doing good, as long as we don't expect it to make up for the bad.

2Chronicles 18

Why would a good king like Jehoshaphat want to ally with Ahaz anyway?

Probably for reasons of kinship. The people of Israel and Judah were closely related, shared a language, a religion, and the Promised Land, and may have stayed a single nation if not for a single mistake.

2Chronicles 17

Jehoshaphat, who didn't have a short name, was zealous for God and wanted everyone else to be too. To that end, he wasn't content to have the high places and Asherah poles torn down. He wasn't content to provide information to those who came to Jerusalem to get it. The king paid for priests, Levites, and his own people to travel the country, teaching the law.

If the people couldn't go to it, it would come to them.